International Laboratory for Digital Transformation in Public Administration seminar

International Laboratory for Digital Transformation in Public Administration held an online seminar on the topic “Basic indices of digital development: a construction methodology involving secondary aggregation”. Research Assistant of the Laboratory Ivan Makarov made a presentation.

In his speech Ivan Makarov touched upon the topics of the development and widespread adoption of international indices for analysis of digital transformation, the potential of indices and ratings as public administration instruments, and the deficiencies in the calculation methodologies of the currently existing indices, which limit said potential. The problem of statistical duplication among existing indices of digital transformation was highlighted in particular, and an under-development method to eliminate such duplication was described. The basis of this method, which was tested in previous research, is principal component analysis, after usage of which secondary aggregation of the resulting principal components can be considered. Then an ongoing study was described, which will contain a comparison of several different possible methods of such secondary aggregation and present a theoretical classification of factors that determine the choice between these methods.

After the presentation, members of the International Laboratory have noted the scientific and practical relevance of this study. The concluding discussion of the seminar touched upon the other specifics and limitations of the indicative approach to analysis of digital transformation and public administration, hurdles faced by the Russian users of international indices, and options for overcoming them. Additionally, members of the Laboratory have voiced and supported suggestions for popularization of this topic, and for the creation of a practice-oriented digital instrument for indicative analysis.

The video recording of the event: https://disk.yandex.ru/i/KspNeP86kCmDHA